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Water current generator

a generator and water current technology, applied in the direction of electric generator control, renewable energy generation, greenhouse gas reduction, etc., can solve the problems of low power production potential, low commercial electricity generation for land use, and low speed

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-04-03
GENCOR IND INC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0004]In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an electrical generator for disposition in a water current comprising a central body carrying a plurality of stator coils within the body and defining a generally longitudinal axis; a pair of annular hubs rotatable about and carried by the central body, each of the hubs mounting a plurality of turbine blades and a plurality of magnets for generating magnetic flux, the hubs being located about the stator coils enabling generation of electricity by the interaction of the magnetic flux and the coils in response to rotation of the blades and hubs about the central body; at least portions of the blades being rotatable about axes non-parallel with the longitudinal axis to enable rotational movement of said blade portions.

Problems solved by technology

The disclosed generator, however, turns at relatively low speed compared to conventional turbines and the resulting power production potential is quite low.
Commercial generation of electricity for land use is not particularly feasible employing the construction of that patent.

Method used

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Embodiment Construction

[0009]Referring now to the drawing figures, particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an underwater generator, generally designated 10, for producing electricity and including a stator core housing 12 and a rotor including at least a pair of counter rotating impeller or turbine blades 14 and 16 mounted on counter-rotating turbine hubs 18 and 20. As illustrated, the impeller blades 14 and 16 mounted on the hubs are circumferentially spaced one from the other and are open at their radially outer ends i.e. the tips are not connected to one another. The generator 10 is constructed for tethering to an underwater anchor 22. The tether 24 interconnects the anchor 22 and a coupling 26 on a nose of the stator housing 12. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 1, electricity generated by the generator 10 is preferably transmitted by electrical lines carried by tether 24 to the anchor and then via electrical lines 28 to a land base utility site for commercial distribution.

[0010]As illustrated...

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Abstract

The underwater electrical generator includes a stator core and counter-rotating turbine blades with permanent magnets in the hubs and windings in the core housing. When tethered by the nose of the housing, the water current rotates the turbine blades generating electrical current which is supplied for commercial use via the tether to a land-based utility. Ballast tanks are provided to maintain the generator at a predetermined depth. Small stator windings and permanent magnets are provided in the rotating hubs and core housing respectively to charge batteries in the hubs for altering the pitch of the blades such that the blades can be feathered for maintenance outages.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to a generator responsive to water current for generating electricity and particularly relates to an underwater electrical current generator having turbine blades rotatable about a center body.[0002]With increasing demand for environmentally friendly electrical power generation, many alternatives to carbon produced electrical power have been proposed. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,156 there is disclosed an underwater generator for supplying limited electrical power to underwater measuring and sensing units. The supplied electricity provides power for underwater communications and management of oceanographic instrumentation. The generator in the afore-mentioned patent includes a central housing mounting a plurality of circumferentially spaced blades which rotate a hub journaled on the housing such that an arrangement of permanent magnets and stator windings generate electricity for powering the instrumentation. The ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): F03B13/00
CPCF03B13/10F03B17/061F05B2220/7068F05B2240/52F05B2240/917F05B2250/292F05B2250/314F05B2260/74F05B2260/76F05B2260/79Y02E10/22Y02E10/223Y02E10/28Y02E10/20Y02E10/30F03B3/12F03B3/14
Inventor BRASHEARS, DAVID F.
Owner GENCOR IND INC
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